Chana Salad is a protein-packed healthy salad that happens to be delicious too. You will surely fall in love with it!
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
- The Brown Chickpeas
- The Green Dressing
- How To Build A Healthy Salad
- Watch Chana Salad Video
- Healthy Chana Salad Recipe
For lunch, I always stick to something that is healthy, fulfilling, and can literally be a one-bowl meal. That is the reason chana salad has become one of my favourite weekday lunches.
All the meal prep for the chana salad is done during the morning time ( including boiling the brown chickpeas and making the dressing ). During lunch hours, simply dress the chana salad and enjoy it.
Chana Salad would also pack up nicely for my husband’s office lunchbox .
Why You’ll Love This Salad
- Gluten-Free
- Quick and Easy
- Protein-Packed
- Healthy and Nutritious
- and a one-pot fulfilling meal
The Brown Chickpeas
In the Indian subcontinent, the brown chana is commonly used for making curry , kebab, or a variety of dishes. Like regular white chickpea (kabuli chana) you can use brown chana in a variety of creative culinary ways.
- It is an excellent source of gluten-free, vegan, plant-based protein .
- Like many other legumes and beans, the dried brown chana also requires a soaking time of 5 – 6 hours before cooking.
- The soaking process reduces the cooking time , deactivates anti-nutrients , and improves the amount of magnesium, zinc, and iron you absorb .
For the salad, you can either boil brown chana in a pressure cooker or cook them in an instant pot . Canned/tinned chana is also fine for making the salad.
The Green Dressing
What makes this chana salad even more pleasant is the refreshing mint dressing. It is very similar to the internet’s viral GREEN GODDESS DRESSING.
This green dressing is bursting with summer flavours pairing perfectly with the texture of the salad. It is the star of the show.
If you want to try any other dressing recipes with this salad, here are – 6 BEST SALAD DRESSING RECIPES
How To Build A Healthy Salad
- Don’t stop at one or two vegetables. Try to make it as colourful as possible with the best available seasonal greens and veggies.
- Avoid adding any fried or calorie-loaded toppings. That would just kill the purpose of a healthy salad.
- Pick your protein for the salad wisely. The meats laced with too much fat are a big no for any healthy salad. Roasted chicken, boiled beans, or pan-fried tofu make a delicious protein-packed salad.
- Keep the dressing light and simple. Too much cream, mayo, and cheese are not going to make the right dressing for a healthy salad.
Watch Chana Salad Video
More Salad Recipes
- Lentil Salad
- Sprout Salad
- Barley Salad
- Chickpea Salad
- Mixed Beans Salad
- Vegan Couscous Salad
Get all my Salad Recipes here and you can watch the videos on Instagram .
Ingredients
- ▢ 2 Cup brown chickpeas (kala chana)
- ▢ ½ Cup chopped onion
- ▢ ½ Cup chopped cucumber
- ▢ ½ Cup chopped tomato
- ▢ ½ Cup diced boiled potato
- ▢ ¼ Cup chopped coriander (cilantro)
- ▢ Juice of one lemon
Ingredients For Dressing
- ▢ ¼ Cup mint leaves
- ▢ ¼ Cup fresh coriander leaves
- ▢ ½ Cup greek yogurt/curd
- ▢ 2 clove garlic
- ▢ Salt to taste
- ▢ ½ teaspoon whole peppercorns or to taste
- ▢ ¼ Cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Prep Work:
Soak chickpeas (chana) overnight or for at least 4 – 5 hours. After soaking time, drain all the water from the chana.
Boil chana in a pressure cooker with a dash of salt and approximately 1 ½ cups of water. Do not overcook the chana as it might turn mushy.
Transfer the boiled chana to a colander. This step will drain the excess liquid and allow chana to cool down completely before adding to the salad.
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender. Grind to a smooth consistency. Transfer to a jar and keep in the fridge till required.
Chop all the vegetables, mix and keep in the fridge.
Add the boiled chana to the chopped vegetables and mix nicely.
Pour mint dressing over the salad and toss gently.
Sprinkle fresh coriander leaves, squeeze lemon juice and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Serve healthy chana salad immediately.
Recipe Notes:
- To cook chana perfectly in a pressure cooker, 3 – 4 whistles over low heat are good enough. It approximately takes 15 minutes to become al-dente. Or you can cook chana in an instant pot as well.
- Do not add too much water while boiling the chana.
- To keep the salad crunchy avoid adding warm chana to the salad.
- If brown chana is not available, you can subsitute it with white chickpeas (safed chole/kabuli chana).
- Salad dressing can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for 3 – 4 days.
- From sweet corn, peppers, and cucumber, to avocado , they all taste great in this vegetarian salad.
Nutrition
We follow a strict NO SPAM Policy
Healthy Chana Salad Recipe
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Salad Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 Cup brown chickpeas (kala chana)
- ½ Cup chopped onion
- ½ Cup chopped cucumber
- ½ Cup chopped tomato
- ½ Cup diced boiled potato
- ¼ Cup chopped coriander (cilantro)
- Juice of one lemon
Ingredients For Dressing
- ¼ Cup mint leaves
- ¼ Cup fresh coriander leaves
- ½ Cup greek yogurt/curd
- 2 clove garlic
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon whole peppercorns or to taste
- ¼ Cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Prep Work:
Soak chickpeas (chana) overnight or for at least 4 - 5 hours. After soaking time, drain all the water from the chana.
Boil chana in a pressure cooker with a dash of salt and approximately 1 ½ cups of water. Do not overcook the chana as it might turn mushy.
Transfer the boiled chana to a colander. This step will drain the excess liquid and allow chana to cool down completely before adding to the salad.
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender. Grind to a smooth consistency. Transfer to a jar and keep in the fridge till required.
Chop all the vegetables, mix and keep in the fridge.
Add the boiled chana to the chopped vegetables and mix nicely.
Pour mint dressing over the salad and toss gently.
Sprinkle fresh coriander leaves, squeeze lemon juice and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Serve healthy chana salad immediately.
Video
Notes
- To cook chana perfectly in a pressure cooker, 3 - 4 whistles over low heat are good enough. It approximately takes 15 minutes to become al-dente. Or you can cook chana in an instant pot as well.
- Do not add too much water while boiling the chana.
- To keep the salad crunchy avoid adding warm chana to the salad.
- If brown chana is not available, you can subsitute it with white chickpeas (safed chole/kabuli chana).
- Salad dressing can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for 3 - 4 days.
- From sweet corn, peppers, and cucumber, to avocado , they all taste great in this vegetarian salad.
Nutrition
Here are 3 flavours of chaas recipe – classic masala, mint, and beetroot chaas for the summer season.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
- What is Chaas?
- Homemade Chaas Masala Powder
- Chaas Recipe Variation
- Storage Suggestion
- FAQ Related To Chaas Recipe
- Chaas Recipe – 3 Flavours
What is Chaas?
Chaas is a curd-based traditional Indian drink. It is as simple as combining salt, spices, and curd. Whisking until well combined. A masala chaas is also known as buttermilk, masala chaach, neer mor, or namkeen lassi . All these names describe the same refreshing, soothing, and energising summer drink.
Health Benefits of Chaas:
- One glass of spiced buttermilk every day can keep all your digestive problems away!
- The good bacteria of curd help improve the body’s general immunity and reduce stomach ailments like irritable bowel, stomach infections, and irregular bowel movements.
- The additives of Ayurvedic ingredients like ginger and cumin powder relieve the stomach of any irritation.
Did you also know that buttermilk is full of electrolytes and is one of the best drinks to fight against heat and body water loss, especially during summer?
Homemade Chaas Masala Powder
The homemade chaas masala gives so much depth of flavour to the buttermilk.
- You need only 3 ingredients – coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and whole peppercorns to make this spice powder at home.
- This chaas masala powder is easy to make at home, vegan, gluten-free, and storage-friendly.
- You can store it for 6 months in the refrigerator. The aroma and taste of the masala don’t change at all.
Chaas Recipe Variation
- Masala Chaas: A teaspoon of homemade buttermilk spice mix transforms plain chaas into masala chaas. It is a classic flavour that is forever a favourite of mine.
- Pudina (Mint) Chaas – Adding fresh mint leaves and green chilli to the masala chaas makes the drink an absolute summer favourite. Mint leaves not only make the chaas refreshing but also act as a great cooling agent for the summer heat.
- Beetroot Chaas – Chukundar, or beetroot chaas is a healthy and delicious drink. Beetroot gives a beautiful pink colour to the chaas, and the addition of ginger; curry leaves add notes of spiciness.
Storage Suggestion
Transfer the masala chaas to a glass jar or mason jar, seal the lid, and store in the fridge for 2 – 3 days or until ready to serve.
Keeping buttermilk at room temperature for more than 1 – 2 hours is not recommended , especially in hot and humid climatic conditions.
Do not store buttermilk in plastic bottles or containers while travelling. The sourness of the curd might react with the plastic and the outside heat.
Both lassi and chaas are made with curd. Chaas has a thin watery consistency, whereas lassi has a thick, creamy, luscious texture like a milkshake. Lassi can be both sweet and salty, but chaas (buttermilk) are always savoury only.
The best way to pack buttermilk will be in a glass bottle/mason jar with a tight-fitting lid or a stainless steel container. The glass/steel containers keep the buttermilk cool. They are a regular part of my husband’s lunchbox .
More Summer Drink Recipes
- Aam Panna
- Kiwi Panna
- Mango Lassi
- Paan Thandai
- Sattu Sherbet
- Sugarcane Juice
- Virgin Mango Mojito
Ingredients
Ingredients For Chaas Spice Mix:
- ▢ 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
- ▢ 2 tablespoon cumin seeds
- ▢ 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
Ingredients For Masala Chaas:
- ▢ 1 Cup curd or yogurt
- ▢ 2 Cup water, room temperature
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Chaas Masala
- ▢ rock salt or black salt to taste
- ▢ 5 – 6 ice cubes
Ingredients For Pudina Chaas:
- ▢ ¼ Cup fresh mint leaves
- ▢ 1 green chili or to taste
Ingredients For Beetroot Chaas:
- ▢ 1 beetroot, diced
- ▢ 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
- ▢ 5 – 6 curry leaves
Instructions
Prepare Chaas Masala Powder
- Dry roast the spices in a cast iron pan or a heavy bottom pan for 1 – 2 minutes or until fragrant and aroma of spices is released. Turn off the heat. Grind them to a powder. Transfer to a jar and store.
Masala Chaas:
- Combine all the ingredients and blend. You can use a hand mixer or manual whisk for combining the ingredients. Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- Serve masala chaas chilled or at room temperature. Stir well before serving.
Pudina (Mint) Chaas:
- Combine mint leaves, chilli along, 5 – 6 ice cubes with masala chaas. Blend until all the ingredients are combined well. Taste and adjust the seasoning as per personal preference.
- Serve pudina chaas immediately.
Beetroot Chaas:
- Remove the skin of the beetroot and cut it into quarters. In a microwave-safe steamer, steam the beetroot for 3 – 4 minutes. Alternatively, you can grill it or steam it on a stovetop as well. I usually prefer grillin on a pan rather than steaming.
- Allow the beetroot to cool down completely. Once cooled, roughly chop it.
- Combine beetroot, ginger, curry leaves along with masala chaas and blend. If chaas seems too thick add 3 – 4 ice cubes and blend again.
- Serve beetroot chaas chilled or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes:
- Make sure curd is not sour in taste for making the buttermilk.
- If required add a teaspoon of Chaat Masala in the buttermilk.
- Do not leave the buttermilk at room temperature or in the open for more than 1 – 2 hours especially in the hot/humid climate.
Nutrition
We follow a strict NO SPAM Policy
